


An attempt at realism

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Drama, Fellowship of the Ring, War of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2006-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-28 17:16:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3862921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.</p><p>No one would Beta this for me, so if there are any mistakes I appologise. It is not yet finished.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

 I can't remember the exact moment it happened, I just know that one moment I was standing outside my house, key in hand ready to go in, and the next moment the house wasn't there, nor were the sounds of traffic, and the air seemed a little clearer.  
  
Probably because instead of traffic lights towering over me there were now trees. In place of the concrete road that had been to the left of me there was a sort of dirt path, as if I was in a country park.  
  
I remember hyperventilating, as I lived nowhere near any country park. How could I have gotten to one anyway in such a short amount of time?  
It wasn't long before I started crying and shaking so much that I'd ended up sitting on the ground on the edge the path. I wasn't even trying to think of logical explanations, I was just panicking.  
  
After afew minuets I thought I could hear something moving not to far of from where I was sat. I stopped crying and stood up, listening harder. It sounded like light footsteps a little way from me, probably going up the path.  
  
Deciding that I could at least find out where I was from this person, I quickly fell into a jog along the path. It became wider as I jogged, opening up into a small glade.  
  
It was then that I began to notice just how different my surroundings felt. The trees were much straighter, and smoother, than the ones I would expect to find in a park. In fact, I could see no ash, oaks or silver birches around at all.  
  
The trees that surrounded me had a sheen to them, an almost golden light radiating from their bark.  
  
I stopped thinking about trees when I noticed that there was no one else in the glade with me. I kicked at the grass, feeling stupid to have let someone slip away so easily, especially when I needed them.  
  
I could feel the tears coming back again and I started to rub my eyes, smearing any mascara I had on around my cheeks.  
I stopped rubbing when I saw a little way in front of me a person, stood perfectly still.  
  
That's when my heart stopped, for just a moment, when I first set eyes on him.  
  
He was male, I could tell that a mile off from his features, but this was definitely no man. No man could look like this.  
  
He had bright, keen eyes that seemed to pierce whatever it was he was looking at. His hair seemed to be a reflection of the sunlight, the colour it was and the way it shone, sliding past his shoulders and down his back. He was tall, and wore a tunic and boots.  
  
It wasn't his clothes or facial features that made me know he wasn't a man. It came from him. There was something about him, something radiating from him that I could feel that made him different. It was like an energy or an aura or just some, thing, that made him different, alien.  
  
And that made me very afraid.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

My heart started again when his eyes met mine, and my breath was caught in my throat. 

This was no romantic moment. I was terrified and wanted to get away from him. Especially when he frowned. 

As he looked at me, I felt I was being assessed somehow, like he was trying to work me out.

Still frowning he took a step forward towards me, his hand was slightly outstretched. I backed away and he stopped, letting his hand drop.

He looked frustrated and more than slightly angry, which confirmed my earlier feelings that I probably shouldn't be on that land.

At that moment though, it seemed to me that I wasn't trespassing in just anybody's park. 

The male person's, aura, made me feel like I was in the presence of some creature so in tune with the nature around him that it was a personal insult to him that I was standing in that glade. 

That's what I felt, for a moment. Then I decided that this strange looking male was effecting my health badly and that, lost or no, I needed to leave.

I turned, taking only a short step before I heard a stern shout from behind me.

Oh that voice. 

Regardless that I couldn't understand what it was he yelled, and that it was't in the friendliest tone, it was like nothing I'd ever heard before. It sounded light, yet at the same time deep. In one moment I felt like there was nothing in the world to worry me, because there was only, in the whole world, that voice.

I recognised the soft footsteps from earlier as I turned, the male was walking towards me. This time when he spoke I didn't get so spellbound by his voice, it was more his face that caught my attention.

What I saw from a distance was nothing compared to up close. 

That "alien" aura was much more intense up close, and seemed to becomming from beneath his skin, shinning out. His eyes were grey, but unlike any shade I'd ever seen before. They were deep, like they were holding something in them that was lost and important. I couldn't draw myself away from their stare.

He started talking to me again, slower but not lessening his tone. 

My breathing hadn't much improved either.  
I let out long, shaky breaths while he spoke and tried to keep them even. I didn't want to hyperventilate again but if he didn't start speaking to me so I could understand there was a high chance that I would.

After afew moments he stopped speaking, and looked me up and down again instead.   
Then he said something that for a moment sounded quite harsh, like an insult. I was taken aback until I realised that he had used a group of words almost completely different in sound to the ones he had been using before. 

"Soval Phare?"

Apart from blinking rapidly afew times I made no response.

He sighed, which seemed almost comical to me given that that was a highly common human thing to do, and continued;

"Aduni?"

I sighed and shook my head, hopefully signaling that I couldn't understand him, and not answering to a question. 

I wonderd if perhaps I'd come accross some forien farm or, by the looks of the male's clothes, some sort of private fair. 

Obviously ran by....non human males.

He looked at me sternly and held out his hand, to which I flinched, but took it in my own all the same and shook it. 

He drew back sharply and stared at my hand, then his own with a look of utter bewilderment. 

I couldn't help but laugh alittle at that, his face and his reaction. He didn't look as frightening in those few moments of vulnerability.

I decided that I'd better move things along if I wanted to get away from the park, and from the male. I pointed to myself and, slowly, told him my name, and that I was lost.

He responded by arching an eyebrow. 

"I'm," I repeated "Natalie."  
   
Still no response but a frown.

"Lost." I tried again, and pointed to the way I had came, then to the ground and pulled an over exaggerated face of confusion. 

He shook his head, not as if to disagree, sort of as if it didn't matter that I was lost. It gave the impression that I was still in big trouble for being on the land.

He held out his hand again, and again I hesitated. Was he going to lead me to some sort of danger?  The police or someone similar? Although I wanted to find my way home I knew that it wasn't wise to be lead away by a stranger. He could have been anyone. A sicko, a murderer..

And he wasn't human. That much was clear. I couldn't tell in that moment wether he was good or bad but I knew he wasn't human. Wasn't normal.  
Could he be trusted to lead me to safety? I was in a big enough mess and didn't need anything else added to it.

He said something to me in such a tone that I knew he was getting impatient. I realised that human or not, I needed to find some sort of civiliation in order to find out where I was and how to get home.   
Surely someone would speak my language, given that English is so widely known.

So I took his hand. 

*                                *                              *

I Just would like to say, ah ha!! I am in fact using Westron.

Soval Phare=Common speech.  
Aduni=Westron  



	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

We walked briskly through the park, the male never loosening his tight hold on my hand as if to make sure I didn't try to leave. 

As we travelled deeper into the park, I noticed that the trees became much larger in both width and height. I saw that on the ground there were leaves that looked almost golden, and made a very satisfying crunch when stepped on.

I attempted afew times to engage him in confersation, however he didn't seem interested and just ignored me, occationally glancing at me but nothing more. 

I started to feel very much like a naughty girl being sent to the head's office. Not to be spoken to by my classmates as part of the punishment.

After about an hour of passing endless lines of pillar like trees I began to feel anxious. If I had been so scared of this one creature what would I be like if he led to me a whole estate full of them? At first when we had started walking I thought that I was in trouble, then maybe that he would lead me out of the park and send me away to real people. The idea that there would actually be more of...his lot...frightend me. Greatly.

Then again, the idea of being left alone in a country park frightend me even more.

The trees soon became so tall and large that I told myself they must be fake. I also thought that they felt different, or the air around them did. Not just that the air was cleaner, there was something else. Something similar to what I could feel from the male.

He ubruptly stoped, startling me and making me stumble. I was about to protest when he held a finger to his lips and shushed me. He stood quietly for a long moment, listening.   
I couldn't hear anything. I shifted my feet and waited for him to move on but he didn't. 

I began to get irritated after afew minutes of standing and doing nothing, while he continued to look around. 

"look," I said, trying to break his grip on my hand. "I-"

"Daro!" He hissed sharply. Turning slightly to the right he shouted something else I couldn't understand, seemingly to the trees, the top's of which I could no longer see.

Another voice answered his call, faintly, and as if comming from above. Then another, and another also from above yet getting clearer.

To my dismay they each sounded much like the male himself. Light and yet deep.   
If the male didn't inspire so much fear in me, I would have tightend my grip on his hand.

More calls where exchanged between the male and the voices, each sounding clearer as the moments passed. 

To my amazement, about four figures emerged from the  lowest branches of the trees. They each wore grey tunics like the male, and strangely shapped bow and arrows. They lightly sprang from the trees and landed without difficulty infront of us.

They were the same as the male. Not human.

They each had similar features.   
Fathomless grey eyes, sun-kissed hair, skin that seemed to radiate light. Beauty too real and too intense to be true.   
I could feel my chest muscles tighten and breathing became difficult again. 

Who were these people? How on earth had they gone unnoticed by men for so long.  
More importantly, what were they going to do with me.

At that moment they were engaged in confersation, I assumed about myself. One of the people had lifted his bow to level at my chest. I kept very, very still.

Once they had stopped speaking we started to walk on again, the new additions comming to walk on either side of me, eyeing me closely. 

One male, who looked alittle younger than the others, eyed my hair with interest. Almost as if he had never seen anybody with short hair before.  
Then again, I thought, maybe he hadn't.

They continued to talk to each other while we walked. I tried occasionaly to catch any words, but I failed to recognise any. I didn't like the way they talked over me, and guarded me. Like I was a criminal.

We came to another glade, this one much wider than the last. At this point two of the new people ran ahead.   
We walked through the glade and came to a sort of wall, high and green. The trees here were the largest that I had seen so far. So high that they went far out of my sight. They circled a large round hill.

As I continued to gaze at them, I noticed that high up within the thick branches there was something wound around them. Like stairs leading to the top of a tower.   
Between the leaves in fact, I thought I could see lights. 

I didn't realise that I had stopped walking, and the male gave me a little push to get me moving. 

We followed a white stone path that led to a bridge, and then to large white, and strange looking gates. 

I couldn't see any sign of a house or mannor as I looked past them, only a lane.

The male knocked on the gates. When they opened, and I saw no one on the other side, I assumed that there had been some sort of intercom system built in.

What I saw when we followed the lane I will never forget. 

In front of me, was an entire forest of the unnaturally tall trees, with stairs and bannisters winding up them, leading to houses.

Actual houses. In trees. Like a city.

I stopped walking and just stared. It was all becomming too strange, too surreal.   
First there was strange creatures, then their strange homes. 

Shakily, I looked up at the male's face. He was looking at me, but I couldn't read his eyes. I had hoped to find some sort of compassion in them, or understanding. 

My sight traced the sides of his face and it was then that I noticed something under his hair, where his ears were. There was something peaking out from under his hair, and it looked like it was on the tip of his ear.

Something pointed. 

Pointed.

His eyes narrowed, and he said something to me but I wasn't listening. I wasn't listening because something was slowly dawning in my mind.

How could I have not seen it before. How could I have not realised. I had known all the time that he wasn't human. 

The pointed tip wasn't something on his ear. It was his ear.   
It was the actual Tip. Of. His. Ear.

He had pointed ears. 

He was a fae. A faery. An elf. A woodland creature.  
   
Not human.

I remember panicking. I had tried to wretch my hand from his grip but he had been too strong. 

I didn't hyperventilate, because I had been screaming. 

I had screamed, and cried and tried to run away, yanking at my hand and punching at his arm. All the while staring at his face, his eyes. His ears.

The others around him soon had me restrained, which had made me worse for awhile.   
I avoided looking at their faces once I had calmed down, and they began leading me towards the..city again.

I sobbed then, quietly to myself. 

It's not that I had an irrasional fear of faerys, it's because they shouldn't, in my mind, have been real. 

The world belonged to humans, and although I had known from the off that these people weren't human, I had been hoping that perhaps there would be a rational explanation.

I was led along many paths and up many spiraling stairs. If I had been afraid of heights there wouldn't have been need for worry, the fae kept a strong hold on me so I wouldn't fall.

Or try to escape.  



	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

.I saw below me one of the most beautiful sights I think I had ever seen.   
A shimmering fountain lit by silver lamps, hanging from the trees. Clear white foam spilled from it.  
I wished I could have spent more time gazing at it, but I was led on. 

We came to what was the largest of all the trees so far, and that's saying something. To the site of it was a long white ladder. One of the fae I was with went forward and climbed up it.

"I hope you don't expect me to try that" I tried to make my voice sound sharp, despite the lump in my throat.   
I was ignored.

After a short while the fae that had climbed up gave a shout from above us. The male answerd back and walked forwards toward the ladder, me in tow.

"No!" I cried, and tried again to remove myself from his grip. "I said no! I am not going to!"

He looked down at me, and finaly I could see something like empathy in his eyes. He said something to me that sounded softer, less like anything else he had said all that long day, and nodded towards the ladder.

I didn't want to, especially when I took a step forward and actually looked at how high it went. Past many balcony's on each side of it, and sometimes even passing through the middle of them. 

But there had been something in his voice that made me trust him. Or at least want to trust him, and I had the feeling that up there, there was something that would answer my questions.

I tentively reached out and took hold of the ladder. I gave it alittle tug to test it, it seemed strong enough. 

I began climbing, pausing slightly when the male had started to climb up which had made the ladder sway. 

I tried not to look anywhere but directly ahead, ignoring the balconys that we passed and the lights. Concentrating on the one goal to get up, and get answers.

It was difficult, I don't particularily like heights. Or to be more specific, I don't like falling.  
Everytime I falterd however, the male was there with a steady hand or word of encouragement. (Regardless that I couldn't understand the words, I knew what he was doing.)

Those were the moments when I started to like him. Or at least fear him less.

When we came to the top there was a very large, wide balcony that the male helped me climb up onto. 

If I wasn't already somewhat immune to strange sights I would probably have fainted at the one before me at that moment.

On the balcony there was the house I had been waiting to find, only it was built into the tree and actually of the tree. Almost like the swiss family robbertson. Except this tree house wasn't in any way primitive.

It had the same alien aura that I could feel from the others, and something almost regal about it.  
At that thought I snorted. Of course it was regal. Who else had they taken me to see but whoever owned the land. 

I had been right all along, I realised. I had been on forbidden land. Except it wasn't a park, or an estate. It was somebody's kingdom. 

Whatever these people were, I was tresspassing on their land. 

And now I had to see who owned it, explain myself and my actions to them.

The male took my hand in his again and led me forward into the house, into a chamber. 

I remember thinking that there was no point in feeling afraid now, I was going into the house no matter what.   
It didn't matter that I hadn't ment to be there, or that I was lost. To them I had done wrong.

And now I had to face the consequences.  



	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

In front of me were two seats unlike any I had ever seen before. Sitting in them side by side were undoubtedly the people I had been taken to see, whoever ruled over the land.

Everything strange and alien about the others seemed to radiate from the pair ten fold.   
Both of them shimmered with the same light I had seen in the male, except from them it was brighter, and seemed to fill every space of the room that I stood in. 

They were both tall and slender and dressed in white robes that touched the floor, circling their feet like little pools. 

The male had unnaturally straight silver hair that fell down to the small of his back. He wore a silver circlet on his forehead, as did the woman next to him.

If I had been frightened of the male, there isn't a word in the English language for what I felt when I first set eyes on her.

In her eyes there was so much depth and feeling, loss, sorrow and knowledge it was hard to tear my gaze away. And I wanted to. 

She had in her eyes, it seemed, the secrets to the entire world and everything in it. It was like the sun, the moon, the stars and the earth all came under that gaze. 

It was as if she could see me, the real me that even I didn't know. She knew what I was capable of and what I wasn't. What I wanted from life and what I expected to get.

She knew of my fear, I could tell, which made me all the more anxious. 

I was beyond running away. I was awe-struck. I could only stand there staring, petrified.

I hadn't noticed, but the male had by this time announced himself and bowed, leaving me standing alone and open mouthed.   
He and two of the others that had led me before started speaking to the pair in that language of theirs and hushed tones.  
Every now and then, each of them would look at me with a suspicious eye.

Eventually the, king perhaps...inclined his head towards me and I stepped forward. I knew that they wanted me to speak, but I hadn't picked up any of their language. 

Even if I could talk to them, I realised, what could I say? That I had turned around to find myself in another place, surrounded by people not of my own species? 

I doubted that even faerys would believe that.

The first time I tried to work a sentence my voice came out high and cracked, so I tried a second time after clearing my throat.

"I, my name is Natalie. I'm...not sure where I am."

The seated fae exchanged a look of dignified confusion. The female, or queen, spoke softly to her husband for the first time since I had arrived. He nodded at me to continue.

"I...er, I'm.." I shifted my weight to my other foot while I tried to think of something to say. "I'm not sure how I got here..."

The King held up his palm as if to silence me, then said some words to me slowly in his own language.  
I would have liked his voice, it was deep and mesmerising, if I hadn't been so nervous.

I just shook my head and shrugged alittle, and shrugged again when I think he tried another language, and another.

The Queen then placed her hand on top of his and rose from her seat, never letting her gaze leave mine. I backed away alittle.

"Man eneth lín"

Her voice was much too deep for a female, but it was not unpleasent. It seemed to reach me on another level, so much so that I found I could almost understand her. Or at least, I got the jist of what it was she had said.

"Natalie" I replied.

She smiled, or rather her eyes twinkled slightly. 

She spoke to me again, and each time I sort of felt what she ment. 

She asked if I was aware that I had tresspassed. I said yes, but not intentionaly. She asked where I had intended to go, to which I answered; home, from work.

She asked if I knew where I was. I shook my head. 

Afew of the fae around me had been murmuring during our "confersation", and were openly staring at me. Except the male who, as ever, remained unreadable.

The Queen kept on asking me questions, some she repeated harshly, as if the answer I had given was wrong. Some she arched her eyebrows at, like when I told her that I had never seen a faery before, and had believed that they didn't exist.

This answer she repeated to the others. The King looked on, apparently contemplating. The other fae stiffend and one or two looked pretty offended. 

The male didn't look surprised at all, if anything he seemed somewhat relieved. 

"Mas thelich baded?"

I breathed slightly easier. The first question that seemed to bring me back to my initial goal. She had asked me where I intended to go next.

"Home" 

She nodded, but her eyes darkened, and I shiverd at the sight.

_"You have been brought here before us because you were found trespassing on this land. This you understand?"_ ____

I gave a startled cry and drew back a step. Her voice was in my head, talking to me in English. 

____

Why couldn't she have just done that in the first place?

___"This you understand?"_ ____ _ _

"ye, yes," I said "I do."

_____"You have been brought here before us so that we may decide what it is to be done with you, and wether or not you are unaware of your crime." _She paused.__ ___"These are dark times. We do not allow past our borders those who are not named friends. If it were not for the arrival of others on this day, we would not have looked upon you so lightly."_ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I am very sorry," I cried. "like I told you, I don't really know how I got here. I was only trying to get in my front door!"

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

I burst into full blown tears. I was alone, except for scary sub-human people who were angry with me. I was tired and frightened. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Nobody seemed to know how I had gotten there or how I could get home. I had believed that I would be led to understanding and answers. Instead I had disaproving stares and a telling off.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

No one rushed forward to calm me, in fact they all seemed quite embarassed. The male had even looked away.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

The queen stood still and waited for me to stop. I wiped my nose on my sleeve and waited for her to continue.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

I had been taken down the ladder and stairs to a area on the ground which had been made into a pavilion out of the lowest branches of the trees. Not far from me was the fountain I had seen earlier, just across a small clearing of grass. 

Across from the fountain I was sure I could see people moving, shuffling as if setting up a small camp.

 As I saw a dark haired elf once or twice laying down blankets and pillows, I ussumed that the group was some elves from another wood, and were probably the people the Lady had been on about. This one and his companions had to be the visitors.

No other elves in Lorien that I had seen had dark hair. 

Elves. At the time that hadn't surprised me as I had known I wasn't surrounded by humans. Once I was left alone to stew it over did the realisation hit me.

I was probably the only human in the entire wood, maybe the only one that had ever been in the wood. Maybe I wouldn't see another human ever again, I was certainly missing my family by then. 

Had they noticed I was missing? I lived on my own without a partner, and my mum would come round every sunday or so. Would it take that long before someone would notice I was gone?

What about my work, how much trouble would I get into for not turning up for the next few days? Would they dock my pay, would I have a written warning?

Then again the police would have been called long before that. Maybe there would be a search.

I doubted anyone would find me.

I willed myself not to hyperventilate and tried instead to think about something that would cheer me up. 

As promised, there was an assortment of fruits and wine. I didn't trust myself to handle the wine so I took only afew sips. The fruit, though strange in appearence and taste, did the job.

I thought of the fountain, and how I had wanted to take a closer look at it while climbing the ladder. So I stood up from where I had been sitting and quietly walked about two steps towards it.

A very large elf appeared infront of me and began to speak to me harshly, almost yelling. I couldn't tell his exact words but between the shaking of his head and the pointing in the opposite direction I gathered that he didn't want me to pass.

So I was ment to stay put in my own pavilion all night, whether I wanted to or not. 

I told myself that I needed sleep anyway. The next morning I could go look at the fountain if I wished. Hopefully. 

I hoped I wasn't expected to stay in that one place the entire time.

The small bed that had been made for me was comphortable enough. I didn't really like the idea of sleeping in my clothes but I had nothing else with me and wouldn't wear what had been lain out.  I had around me an almost silver coloured curtain, which made me feel abit better after realising that there were elves around me keeping watch.

After awhile I mannaged to settle down. I don't know what time it was when I finally dropped off.  Once I did, I fell into a disturbingly dreamless sleep.  



	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

I woke but didn't open my eyes. I was on my back, and could feel trailing down the front of my neck soft, warm breath. I could hear heavy breathing.

For a moment I just froze and did nothing. In that moment I had no idea of where I was or about the elves. I just knew that someone was leaning over me, making indents in the pillow beside my head with each palm.

I opened my eyes and saw before me two wide curious ones. They belonged to a face with a slightly pointed chin, large ears with high tips, and unruly almost golden hair.

I had screamed the day before in front of elves, but it was nothing compared to what the curious set of eyes had to endure. A high pitched squealing sound that only ceased when I was drawing in more air. 

The person responded by waving his free arm up and down to try to stop me. His other hand was pressed against an ear in an attempt to block out the noise. 

He kept pointing to behind him and making what sounded like pleading sounds but I couldn't understand him. He didn't sound like an elf, however there was something in his voice that made it sound....well as if it was almost human. 

I stopped screaming when I saw from behind the creature two elves (One being the person who had blocked my path the night before) emerging from the clearing, coming towards my pavilion. With the new found reassurance that I would soon be rescued, I pushed the creature away from me by his shoulders. 

He toppled, and fell away from me but not completely off the sofa like bed. Both elves had swiftly held a forearm each before he could move. 

He didn't struggle, but looked terrified and to my dismay, quite harmless. For a moment I felt quite ashamed that I'd gotten him into trouble.

Especially when they helped him to stand and I saw how tall he was.

He was some kind of midget, standing at about just under 4 foot. I wondered if he was perhaps some sub species of elf, havin such similar features like the golden hair and pointed ears.   
Except his ears were larger in width, his hair curled and he didn't have that lonliness and secrets reflected in his eyes. Or the alien aura about him.

He was just short and frightened. 

Shouldn't really sneak up on ladies in their beds then.

The two elves were speaking to him in harsh, low tones. One of them was looking straight at me, perhaps to check if I was alright or not. 

I thought it was safe to climb out of bed when another of the smaller elf creatures came running over from across the glade. He stopped in front of the other one and imediately began yelling at the elves that held him, trying to pry them off. 

The elves let him go and the new arrival took his turn to tell off the shaken first elf. They started to have a small argument involving much pointing in my direction. The new arrival followed the direction of his friend's finger and looked at me. 

His sharp eyes narrowed as he took me in, as if I were some suspicious threat. He stared for a good while before he turned to his friend and muttered something. 

The first little elf took a short step forward towards me but was stopped by a shout from behind him. Two elves, one I hadn't seen before and the dark haired elf I had noticed from the night before were briskly jogging towards us.

"What now?" I growled, climbing out of bed and standing next to the two "bodygaurd" elves. 

When they stopped infront of us I gasped. 

One of them wasn't an elf, it was a man. The first human I had seen for what seemed like an age. My breathing quickened as I realised what this could mean, I wasn't alone! Maybe he even knew of a way out of the wood.

Any urge to approach him was demolished when he looked my way. 

Like the elves he was intense. He had clear grey eyes that weren't too unlike the Lady's. It felt like he could see the whole of me. 

The elf was almost just like the others I had met, I was even starting to get used to them. The same aura, but different features. Like the darker than night hair and sharper face structure.

Both of them were looking at me and frowning, something else I was beginning to get used to by then.   
The man spoke to the two body guard elves and as he held the first small elf by the shoulders, I guessed that he was responsible for him. He may have been offering an explantion, which made me want to know the language of the elves right away. 

That was an explanation I wanted to hear.

The two elves were still quite annoyed, but they didn't look too angry over it all. Perhaps they knew the little people and knew just how harmful they really were. One of them even seemed to find it funny once everyone had calmed.  
Everyone except perhaps me.

"Excuse me!" I cried and stalked towards the group. "you can't just let him do that to people! He could have been anyone, do you know how upset I've been since I got here? I don't need this!"

Everyone looked pretty bemused. The man spoke to one of the elves. I think he explained that I was foreign.   
The man then said something to me, but was interuptted by an elf who was probably telling him that I couldn't speak any of their tounges, judging by the look I recieved. 

With everyone staring at me, in my ruffled up clothes, morning hair and puffy eyes, I didn't really want to add to the embarrassment by crying. But I did. Little tears from stress and lack of sleep that, strangely, made me feel a tiny bit better.

The man waited for me to stop crying and came to stand in front of me. He was easily as tall as any of the elves, and towered over me.  
He bowed his head slightly and murmered something. It sounded something like an appology.

I felt in that moment like he shouldn't have said that. He shouldn't have had to excuse himself or anyone to me. It seemed that I was in the presence of someone important, not that I could tell from his appearence, which screamed the opposite.   
Like the elves aura, this man had something within himself that shone outwards. And I didn't think that he should have felt the need to say anything like "sorry" to me.

The little elf on the other hand could have made an effort.

The man drew himself up once again and left, striding across the clearing with the dark haired elf.

The two smaller ones lingered. The one that had started the whole affair hesitated before approaching me. 

Up close he wasn't really that much smaller than myself, (Myself being five foot one inch.) at least he nearly came up to my chin.   
He didn't look so frightening when he wasn't leaning over me either. I remember I thought he looked like a pixie then. 

He looked embarrassed. He held his hand to his chest and said what I could tell was an appology.   
His friend looked on, apparently uncomphortable.

"It's alright," I said. I still quite annoyed, but he probably hadn't ever seen a human before. Or at least, a human woman. It had probably been a good idea at the time, and I couldn't really have a go at someone for thinking that. God knws how many times I'd mucked things up taking that approach.

"Really," I repeated when he wouldn't move. "I mean it, it's alright. I....forgive you."

His friend tugged at his sleeve. He grinned.

"Iem, Razanur Tuk." He said before he left.


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

Not really knowing what else to do with my day, I had tried to get one of the elves to let me wander around the wood. 

I had only wanted to explore my surroundings, and if I on the off chance actually managed to find a way out and back to normality well then, extra points to me. 

The elves didn't want to know, and after afew attempts I made to comunicate to them they started to just ignore me. I had a feeling they'd been told that I needed to stay put. 

"Well I need someone to talk to. Humans happen to be sociable creatures you know, and the odd telepathic conversation now and then doesn't do it for me."

I was given no response.

"Fine. There was me thinking that elves and faery's were kind."

I wondered what time it was. When whats his name woke me up the sun had been up. I'd been pottering around for about an hour or so afterwards, studying the contents of my pockets.

I had with me a bus ticket an of course my house keys, which I hadn't dropped the day before. It had been a warm day so I hadn't worn a coat, just a black jacket, top and jeans.   
In another pocket I had a fiver, which I didn't think I would need over the next few days. I wished I still had my watch.

Or my straighteners. My hair is naturaly curly, but when it was cut short it lay pretty straight. Apart from the fringe. If not styled every morning it ment that I had a random curly bit sticking out from my forehead. I ran my fingers through it to try to tame it, but I don't believe that it did any good.

Maybe thats why the pixie boy had been staring.

What had he said before he left? "Iem Razanur Tuk."   
Well "Iem" sounded abit like "I'm" so maybe thats what he had ment. "I'm Razanur Tuk."   
So what was a Razanur? A name or what sort of creature he was?

Perhaps the elves would know. Perhaps, if I asked nicely, they'd even let me take a quick walk around, if I asked them to come with me.

I didn't really want to approach them, they had their backs to me and it looked like they were in deep conversation. Nevertheless, if I wanted to do something other than sitting around all day I would have to ask.

"Excuse me" 

They turned to look at me and caught my eyes, which for a moment made me shiver and want to go back to bed with the covers over my head. 

But that would make for a boring day. "I would like to go for a walk" I exaggerated every word and spread my arms around when I said walk. 

Both elves imediately shook their heads and pointed to behind me and the inner section of the pavilion. 

"No," I tried "I want to do something. You can't keep me here all day like some prisoner, I won't let you."

They started to turn back around.

"No!" I yelled, sharp and loud. 

They stopped mid turn, eyebrows raised.

"The Lady said that I could stay here, and I think I have to stay here. But that doesn't mean here!" I pointed to the ground.   
"I want to look around, thats all. I won't run off and you can even come with me. But I don't want to stay right here."

They conversed for a minute, then the plumper one gently took my arm and we walked forward afew paces. He extended his arm in various directions and shook his head at one or two. He was showing me where I could and couldn't go.

"Avo visto!" He said afterward. 

"Yeah alright" I had no idea what he'd said, I just knew that he wasn't following me. 

So I believed at the time. I now know that I was never really out of an elf's sight during my entire stay in the wood.  
The first place I wanted to go to was the fountain area. 

Up close it was magnificent. The water the flowed upwards and outwards was like liquid crystal and the lamps looked like they were made of silver. The lights inside them were like thousands of tiny glimering diamonds. If I listened closely I thought I could hear something like twinkleing.

I withdrew my gaze from it only to find myself under the stare of familiar looking hard grey eyes.

"Oh!" I shrieked and jumped back a step.

It was the intense man from before. Apparently, so his guestures told me, he had come to admire the beauty of the fountain as well. I, however,  couldn't shake off the feeling that he had been checking up on me. 

He smiled as if to reasure me, then went on speaking. I sort of ignored him. I couldn't understand what he was saying so surely after a moment he'd get that and stop. 

He did stop, but only to stare at me as if he were waiting for me to begin listening again. I gave him a half smile and he continued, not slowly at all. In fact it didn't seem to bother him that I couldn't understand, he was carrying on talking and pointing to the fountain anyway.

"Pedich i lam edhellen?"

Oh dear, a question. It actually sounded something like what the Lady had said before. Something about the language. 

My blank face was apparently the answer he needed. He chuckled softly, said something to himself and stared ahead. 

I liked him, I decided. Despite the overall scary wild man yet powerful vibe he gave off. 

"I'm Natalie." 

A blank look from him this time, or as blank as a man with such eyes could produce. I felt it was time to actually put some real effort into comunicating. What had the pixie boy said?

"Er...Iem Natalie"

His eyes widened just a fraction then his composure returned. 

He placed his hand to his chest and replied: "Iem Aragorn"

I froze. And for a moment I felt that I couldn't breathe.

Aragorn. 

"Could you...repeat that?" 

He didn't understand again, so I repeated my name then pointed at him. He nodded.

"Iem Aragorn."

Elves.  

I had believed in faerys when I was a little girl and while growing up that belief had never quite been given up. I had believed in them just enough so that when I'd met them, disbelief had been replaced with fear. I had taken in every word that they had said as truth, granted I could only understand one or two, I'd still done it. 

I could believe in faerys. I didn't think I could believe in this.

Lorien.

That name had been familiar.

My stomach felt uneasy, this couldn't be happening to me. It was bad enough, wrong enough that I was in some enchanted wood but not this rubbish.......

I knew that Aragorn was a character of fiction, from a book I'd never really read and some films I had seen once or twice. Elves and faerys I could take. I could pretty much understand. 

But not this...this was ridiculous. 

My breathing came out again in hiccup form as I attempted to not hyperventilate. 

I shook my head. This was all too much. What on earth was happening to me? I could except that I had stumbled into a faery wood but this? What was I in Middle Earth now? Wasn't Middle Earth supposed to be Europe, so had I travelled back in time?

"what's happening to me?" I said, feeling dizzy all of a sudden. "This is just stupid, it's not even possible..."

The man, I supposed I should refer to him as Aragorn, said something to me in a low voice possably asking what was the matter. I put my hand to my forehead and pressed. This was all too much.

If I had been looking at him I would have seen him silently conversing with two figures standing a little way behind me, yet hidden from my view. I'd have seen him nod before he gently took hold of my elbow and began to lead me past the fountain closer to the small camp.

"Oh no.." I groaned. "I don't think I could handle that...."   
I would meet the rest of them, the sort of fellowship. Some sort of group resembeling the people from the story.

"Gad" Aragorn insisted, leading me on gently. "Ahin Nin."

It was all beggining to be too much but I couldn't really push him off and run away. As I was led closer to the small area I resolved that I would have to face whatever it was in front of me, however strange.

As a group of creatures came into view I almost, almost felt a twinge of excitement. Not too much different to any feeling I get when meeting new people actually. 

With each step however, the feeling was swiftly replaced with dread.

Also, did this mean that it had been a member of the fellowship that had snuck up on me that morning? Small pixie man.......or Hobbit? 

"Hobbit.." I whispered. But which one?

Aragorn led me into the camp but I stayed on the edge. The dark haired elf from before, or some sort of Legolas I supposed, approached us and looked at me questioningly. He proceeded to speak to Aragorn.

This elf was almost the opposite of Orlando Bloom.

His eyes and hair were dark and his features sharp, not like the soft translucient elves of Lorien.  
As I'd mentioned before, he had that same aura, but his was something darker. Not bad or evil from what I could feel, just different. Intense.

I didn't like to look at him for too long.

Aragorn motioned for me to stay there and disapeared deeper into the sleeping area, while I was left with an elf who made me feel uncomphortable. Not that he was trying to, just the way he looked at me made me shiver. He reminded me of the Male.

"Iem Mirlass."

I wondered why Aragorn got to keep his name when not all the others did. 

"Iem Natalie" I didn't look up. 

Everytime I tried to look past him and see where Aragorn was I could feel his eyes boreing into me. He didn't leave, just stood perfectly still, I wondered if he had been told to keep watch of me. 

My eyes skipped across the little camp. I looked away sharply when I saw a stout, almost squashed looking figure with dark hair. If I looked at another species of creature for too long I began to feel dizzy with disbelief.

I just wanted to go home. Just when I thought I could get through afew days of living in a woods with or fae it was all turned upside down by a single stupid minor detail. 

None of this was real. It couldn't be real.

And where had that man gotten to?

Westron:  
Gad=stay. But I used it as "come." Nearly the same thing.  
Ahin Nin=Nin is deffinately "water." I'm sure that "Ahin" is "I/We have"

Elvish:  
Avo visto=Do not stray  
Pedich i lam edhellen= Do you speak elvish

Legolas's name was translated into Westron for those who didn't understand it. Legolas means Greenleaf. So, I have found for this story what I think his name would be if someone from Now met him.

Mir=green and Lass=leaf. 


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

I didn't want to annoy Mirlass, God knows what an angry elf could do to me, but I didn't want to be left alone with him either.

I could have just gone back to my pavilion, maybe even pretended that I hadn't met the man calling himself Aragorn, or that I'd learnt that I was in some sort of Middle Earth, but I didn't. 

Looking back I'm not sure why I decided to walk ahead, maybe out of some desire for the truth or just plain nosyness. I know it wasn't to meet anyone else because I remember the sick feeling in my stomach, and how I kept my eyes to the floor. 

I didn't want to look up and meet the eyes of the creature that resembled a dwarf, or any more elves. I didn't care about the hobbits or Boromir. I was looking for Aragorn.

I understood then why he had struck me so when I had met him the first time. He was a king, or at the very least a prince. He was probably a valiant man, capable of great deeds. No wonder I hadn't felt it right that he'd appologised to me.

At that time however I just wanted to find him, not join his fan club. The area wasn't at all that big, Mirlass hadn't even seemed too bothered when I walked further into it. So where was he?

The dark haired dwarf was beggining to stare at me, which drew the attention of the others. Four slightly shorter figures and a man sat in the grass.

The man I didn't want to look at but ended up doing so anyway. He, like Aragorn had grey eyes and dark hair but he was wearing some strange livery and looked altogether better kept. His eyes narrowed and I looked away at the others.

My breathing rate increased again when I realised just who I could be looking at. 

One had wide brown eyes and dark matt like hair. He wasn't any fatter than the others but he wasn't as well dressed and didn't hold himself like they did. He slumped.

The other reminded me of the elves, he had that same alien aura about him. He had hazel eyes that seemed to carry more depth in them than his companions.  
Although he was sitting, I remember he did look slightly taller than the others.

Were these two Sam and Frodo?

Did that mean that it had been Pippin who caused the earlier fuss? Was he even called Pippin anymore?

"Nat ah li!"

I turned around, not really liking the new spin on my name that Aragorn was using but glad to finally see him all the same. In his hand was a brown flask that I could hear was swishing when he came closer.

"Nin" He said and gave it to me, from which I drank quite deeply considering I had only had afew sips of the wine the previous night.

I thanked him, or tried to, and made my way to leave. To my annoyance however, he held my elbow once again and stared into my face.

Toutched as I was that he was so concerned for a strangers health, I didn't see the need to stay any longer and tried to tell him so, but he instead led me towards the hobbit creatures.

Not that they were ugly, but all of a sudden these small pointy eared men looked to me very threatening and almost goblin like. I didn't really want to sit near them, and when Aragorn and I stopped in front of them, I flinched and looked away.

Aragorn introduced me briefly, then pointed to each of the hobbits, or "Kuduk's" in turn. The one with the elven eyes was "Maura", the one next to him was called "Ban".   
The two I had met earlier were Razanur, or Razar, and Kali. Kali was the one who didn't seem to like me very much, and even then was looking at me with the same suspicious eye. 

*                               **                                 *

"This woman is named Nat ah li. She is staying here under the watch of the Lady for a short while."

"Why is she dressed so strange, Aragorn? And where on earth is the rest of her hair. Is she ill?"

Maura frowned. "Perhaps you should have asked her that when you wandered into her chamber this morning, Rananur"

The Kuduk looked away slightly, indigniant. "I only realised she was a girl when I was up close. I went over there to see who it was, I could tell it wasn't an elf and don't look at me like that Kalimac, it was as much your idea as it was mine."

"Perhaps so," The ranger intercepted before the other could strike up a disagreement. "either way it was not the wisest of actions." He sighed "I have spoken briefly with Haldir about this woman, she is not permitted to wander without a guide and I have been assured that she is harmless. Yet I say to you, be cautious!" he glanced at the woman "it is not safe to talk too freely amoung strangers. Even those who do not seem such a threat."

"Why on earth did you bring her over here then?" Asked Kali, narrowing his eyes at the woman.

"She needed nourishment so I supplied her with water. She needs company so I have supplied her with you, so long as the subject of our labours does not, under any circumstance, make an appearence." he said and looked at Razar. 

"Never let it be said that Strider is not a gentleman."

Aragorn continued. "The elves do not know where she is from or where she is trying to go. The Lady does not believe she is a threat. Although I do not wholy trust this woman, the Lady's word is enough for me."  



	10. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

I sat on the grass quite nervously and avoided looking at anyone directly. 

The small group soon began to have quite an animated conversation, and I wondered why I had even been brought over. I felt like I'd been invited to a party only to be ignored.

A very strange party, like something from Alice in Wonderland, with tiny elves and cave creatures (The dwarf) and one bemused girl.

I decided that if I didn't look at anyone, or speak to anyone, I would be fine. Or at least feel slightly better.   
Everytime I stopped to think about my situation my chest muscles would tighten and I would feel sick. The fact that the time was going by didn't mean that I was finding it all easier to deal with. The shock was just slightly numbed.

I didn't like that I couldn't understand them. They could have been saying anything, anything about me. 

I couldn't understand why there was such a language barrier, the films had been in English as had the books. I got why I couldn't understand the elves, they had their own speech and I had thought that to be the case when I had set eyes on the Male. 

Why couldn't Aragorn or the Kuduk's understand me? Or the man I supposed was Boromir. Granted, I hadn't made an attempt to speak to him yet, but he was speaking to Aragorn.

If I truly had found myself in some altered reality where fiction was fact, did that mean that cars and skyscrapers weren't real? Was that why my house had disapeared and if so, why was that moment chosen to alter the way of things?

Was it happening across the globe, were there perhaps more people finding themselves lost and alone in strange woods?

I hoped not. The Lord and, oh wait, Galadriel? Perhaps that had been why she could speak to me in my mind, it wasn't some elven trick, it was actually a trademark.

Perhaps, if I could bear to drag myself away from present company, I could find her and seek out some answers.

Same quest as the day before. 

Would she have the same name or would I have to ask for someone else?

It couldn't kill me to try. It was beggining to creep towards mid morning, surely she would be able to see me. If I found my guides again perhaps they could take me.

I glanced up away from the grass to meet Kali's eyes. He wasn't staring, but I felt that he had been looking at me a beat before. 

Why did he dislike me? I hadn't done anything to him in fact it seemed to me he was the one in the wrong, him and his friend. 

Merry and Pippin.

*                                                                   **       *

"Your making it obvious Kali."

Kali let his gaze drop back to his hands. "I can't think what your talking about cousin."

"Staring at the girl. There's no need to frighten her more than you already have."

"Peace, gentlekuduks." Aragorn interupted, sensing the start of a disagrement. Rare though they were between the two. "Maura is right though, I fail still to see the merit that your early morning capers gave to this situation."

"Well," Razar started in a low voice when Kali made no sign of answering. "we all heard the shouting last night, though some of us chose to ignore it. Some of us didn't." 

He paused, and looked at the woman to check that she couldn't really be listening. She was fidgiting but otherwise gave him no reason to believe she knew of the change of subject.

"Kali and I could tell that something was amiss and we wished to find out what that was, no not out of curiosity before you say anything Maura. If anything it was for you. To protect you."

"For me? I know that I have taken blame for your misadventures on occation before-"

"I havn't yet finished! The two of us could tell that the elves were hiding something. With threats all around, and what with Gollum's appearence the other night well, we wanted to find out what it was. Me being the stealthier of the two-"

"The sneakier." Kali interupted.

"Thank you. The stealthier....I waited until a reasonable time when I could approach it without being spotted and had a look."

"There was no need to bring yourself so close to her face, Razanur" Boromir spoke for the first time on the subject. 

"Like I said, I couldn't tell it was a girl what with that short hair. I wondered if it was some sort of Gollum like creature at first, not some ill maid."

"We do not know yet if she is ill, perhaps it is just her custom." 

"I think she wants something." Kali muttered.

*                                               **                            *

I'd gotten their attention. I think their subject had turned to things more serious as they had all gone quieter. I'd waited until the one I knew to be Razar had stopped, then I began to point to the way I had come, using my whole arm like a spear.

Aragorn turned to me and I stopped pointing. He apparently knew what I wanted and stood, excusing himself with a nod and took my arm to help me up.

I didn't nod my goodbye or do anything which to them I think seemed quite rude. still, I didn't care at the time, I just wanted to find my way to the Lady.

 Even if it did mean I'd have to climb that ladder.

I was led to the edge of the camp and to my surprise I found my two gaurds there waiting for me. The three began to have what looked like a light hearted chat which was all well and good but wasn't really going to get me anywhere.

I waited until there was a slight pause "Galadriel?"

The three stopped completely and looked at me in something like confusion. Maybe that wasn't her name.

I pointed outwards, said the name again then pointed to me. One of the elves understood me it seems, he spoke quickly to the the others and left.

Aragorn spoke in low tones to the elf that remained, I was shunted out of the conversation. 

They seemed to go on for ages and I eventually sat down.

I noticed that the bottom of my trousers were dirty, disgustingly so. Dried mud had collected and stained them, my shirt didn't look too good either.  
Or smell. Under my arms (I checked when I was sure the male's couldn't see.) smelt like I hadn't washed in a week. Probably all that sweating in fear.

Not that the others had noticed. I had noticed though. The male and the other elves didn;t smell at all from what I'd gatherd, I wish even now that I could say that about the others.

Looking back, I remember that whenever Razar grinned he didn't exactly have Hollywood style teeth either. Not that I can make many complaints about teeth. Being British.

I had sat there listening to the two talk for around thirty long minutes when Aragorn called to me and pulled me up.

The elf had returned and wasn't alone, with him was one of those who had been with the Lord and Lady in their chamber the night before. He was announced as Haldir.

He started to speak then shook his head slightly and just guestured to me to follow him. I turned to Aragorn briefly, said goodbye and followed the new elf.  
 *                                          **                           *

The journey up the ladder wasn't so bad the second time around, I wasn't so afraid when I had a better idea of what was ahead of me. Haldir went in front and made little effort to help me along. I didn't argue, his eyes were almost as sharp as the lady's. 

Once up I imediately wished I'd had more time to myself, or even with the fellowship. I was nervous. I wished I'd stayed in bed for longer. 

Why did Razar have to wake me up? If we ever became friends or if I saw him on his own, I'd have to hit him.

I was led into the chamber once again and found that the Lady sat on her own. She looked just as grave and imposing as she had before. It made me shiver.

There was a seat a little way apart from her and she motioned her hand towards it. I sat, resisting the urge to cross my legs and lean back.

"You have been brought before me to hear the answers to your questions."

The voice was again inside my head and in English, but I was slightly more prepared for it and so it didn't seem like such an intrusion. I answered yes.

"You know now that we are what you would call unreal. I see we belong to you only in the realms of fiction, is this so?"

I nodded. 

"This is not welcome news." She sighed "Still, let me hear your questions and I will give to you what I can provide as answers."

I asked her if I was in Middle Earth and she said that I was, to which I responded by putting my head between my knees. Afterwards almost every question I had was answerd with riddles or other questions. I got almost nothing out of her.

Was I still in England.......She answered "What would you call England" 

Would I ever find my way home........"That depends on the home which you seek."

Is this an altered reality......"Every reality co excists side by side. Who is to decide what is ment by altered?"

"Please, why can't I understand anyone but you?"

"Because," She said and left her chair. "I do not speak to you using any set speech of this world."

My face couldn't have been the picture of intelligence because she continued.

"I communicate to you, not what is in your mind processing thought and word into something you can understand but to you. I do not speak in any language but that of what is between two souls. That is how you come to understand me, and I you."

Oh. Alright. I was correct when I first met her then, she really could see all of me.

"Thats......frightening."

My grin subsided when I saw how serious her expression was, she was looking through me, as if measuring me up.

"Er..Lady, may I ask a favour....please?"

She didn't speak so I carried on.

"It's just that I need to wa-bathe. And, I don't know...sort of..how or where to go to do it..."

She nodded and a female elf came forward, out of seemingly noware just like before. 

"This is Didauar, she will see to your needs."

I took that as my signal to go and gave a rubbish attempt at a bow. The Lady didn't move but Didauar came forward and past me. 

To my amazement she didn't look all that different to the male elves. Her body was slender, like theirs, and it looked like she had no womanly curves at all. She was still beautiful, but in that eriee way that they all shared.

It pleased me to see that her chest was almost flat. 

Score one for me. Size 32 A.

She helped me down the ladder, so she began our relationship in my good books. She then led me away from the route to my pavilion and towards what I thought sounded like running water.

I hoped to God it wasn't a stream.


	11. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

Note: Didauar is elvish for "Woman of the Woods"

It was a stream of sorts, a small flow of clear running water that was the main source for many of the elves. I learnt later that there was a larger one nearby, but no one would ever spoil it by using it for something like washing. 

Didauar motioned to me to stop walking while she carried on. Her standing at way over six foot, I didn't argue. She came back a moment later with a white bundle and put it in my arms then turned on her heel and went back. 

I could hear much swishing and the sound of alot of water being poured. She gave out a yell and I walked forward.

Her sleeves were rolled up and she was bent over a small wooden sort of barral cut in half. As I came forward I could see what it was supposed to be.

"I'm not getting in that."

Her etheral features formed a frown and she pointed to the makeshift tub.

"Not in a million years." I said shaking my head.

"Telo hí" She stood up.

"I don't care what you just said, I am not getting in that thing."

She stalked forward and grabbed my hand nearest to her, taking me towards the tub with a strength I didn't think could be in such willowy limbs.

"Alright!" I yelled as she pulled me down level to it. I put a finger in the water and was disapointed, though not too surprised, to find it was freezing.

"Thats too cold." I added "Brrrr!" 

"Avo vuio" She reached over and pulled at my top.

"Oi! What the bloody hell do you think your doing!" Jumping up and backing away, "I can do this myself, go away over there."

I waved and turned around, turning back quickly to check she wasn't looking. She wasn't, but she was muttering to herself angrily.

The area was secluded but I still didn't like the idea of stripping off. Especially after that morning's experience with guests that just pop up. It felt like any random elf could have appeared at any time.

Hesitantly I removed my shirt and trousers until I stood in my underware. The breeze wasn't cold but there was more skin for it to reach so I was soon covered in tiny red goosebumps. A nice contrast to my usually pasty pale skin.

Checking that she again wasn't looking I pulled th rest of my clothes off and quickly stepped into the tub.

My hand went to my mouth to stifle the squeak. It was cold, fresh, but cold.

I curled up so that I was wholely covered, not that it made a difference as the water was clear. So clear in fact that I could see a small block resting in the bottom corner of tub

On closer inspection it turned out to be a kind of soap. It had a weak fragrence and a dull colour. It was better than nothing, even though I had the feeling I'd have to use it to wash my hair too.

I won't torture you with the deatails of my "bath", although I will let you know that it wasn't in any way relaxing. 

Once I considered myself clean enough, or, that I was in dire need of thawing out, I reached out of the tub for the bundle Didauar had given me earlier and wrapped myself in the warm material.

She had left some time shortly after I got in the bath, which at least ment I could get out without tripping over my own insecurities. Women though we both were, I didn't even let my own mother view me naked.

Not that I'm deformed or anything. Short, skinny and pale just about sums me up, even now.

I didn't really want to get back into my clothes, being dirty it would have made having a bath quite pointless. Still I had nothing else and I wasn't willing to wandr around naked or just in my underware. 

I dressed, annoyed but hopeful that maybe I'd only be stuck in the wood for another day or so and would only smell bad for a short while.

I wasn't sure if Didauar wanted me to tip the water out or what. I didn't want to upset her anymore than I already had.  
Strangely, this attidude wasn't one based on fear. I genuinely wanted to be friends with the elf woman. 

A friend at the time would be nice, I felt.

Telo hí=come here


	12. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young woman finds herself in Middle Earth, unfortuately it's nothing like the films, the little book knowledge she has is hardly any help either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

I waited by the stream until she returned.

Luckily she didn't take long, and I could see her walking towards me from between the trees from where I stood.  
In her arms she held another bundle, slightly larger than the first one. As she came closer I saw that it was in fact a pile of dully coloured clothes.

I had mixed feelings about the clothes. Obviously they were for me and in a way they were a godsend, no more smelly B.O stained tops. 

However, they were also a problem. It felt to me that if I wore something made by the elves I would be losing a part of myself to them. Almost like being pixie led. It felt a little silly when I first thought that, but could I be blamed? 

Lord of the rings or not, these creatures were still elves, and I was still frightened by them. 

She stopped in front of me and held out one of the dresses. 

"Hebo hen"

She shook it a little so I supposed that she ment for me to take it. I did, surprised by how light it was.

The one she had given me was a very pale green, plain dress that was faded from use.  It had a modest round neckline and was quite small when I held it up. It didn't look like it would fit an elf the size of Didauar so I assumed it was a dress for an elf child. 

The only problem was that the waistline was very slender. Like i've pointed out, i'm not fat, but I'm no size "elf."  A woman of size four would struggle to fit herself into the dress in my hands, let alone double that.

Didauar waited as I considered the dresses. The others in her arms were of a similar make from what I could see. One was a tanned brown with long sleeves, one was sleeveless and a light, almost white blue. 

I really did want to get into some clean clothes. I considered my options, dirty smelly clothes for the next few days or a clean dress worn by the elves while my ones were being washed. 

A person couldn't become bewitched from just wearing clothes. So I told myself.

I told Didauar I appreciated her help and briskly hid behind one of the larger trunked trees nearby to change. I wasn't too concerned at that point if she saw me or not, I was most likely going to need her help in getting the dress on anyway. 

I tried to pull the green one over my head but ended up getting myself tangled in the flowing skirt. I didn't really want to pull or tug it over my head incase I'd rip it, so I tried to twist my way out and start again.

Which just resulted in me being twisted in it instead. 

"Errgh! Didayer...Didauer, Didauar! Could you help me!"

From underneath the material I heard an etheral sigh "Boe le etholthad?" 

Light footsteps.

 It chilled me when I felt her hands untangle and lift the dress from me. I hadn't realized she had gotten that close in that short time.

I'm quite happy to say that I didn't feel too ashamed to be standing in my underware in those moments, equaly Didauar didn't seem bothered about it at all. Although she did give me a quick glance, possably from never seeing a "woman" before.

Nice to know she found me just as strange as I did her. Did she feel a little frightend of me too?

If she was she hid it well. Together the two of us managed to fit me into the dress and it wasn't too bad. 

I wasn't really a dress person, only ever wearing them on special occations and such, but I was greatful that they had fished these out for me.  

I didn't even look too bad. Nothing like the elves of course, but i'd pass. 

"Boe le etholthad?"=Do you need to be taken out of there


End file.
